Rando Post June 08

Today for lunch I ate rice with a leftover calzone from the weekend. And it was awesome. I never thought that eating something like that (pizza tasting) with rice would be good. But it was. Maybe it was because I filled the calzone with red pepper flakes. So spicy.

Today for the entire day for the first time since I was in 6th grade, I wore whitey tighties. I decided it was time. It was a bit uncomfortable, but at the same time pretty supportive. You want to know the main reason I switched to boxers? Because in 7th grade, it was the first time we had locker rooms. We had to change for physical education instead of running around in our clothes. Yes...we had awesome PE uniforms that we ran the mile and a half in. And played volleyball. And wrestled, and square danced. PE was good times. And I'm sitting here laughing about how it took me a good 3 months at least when I was a "sevie" to figure out why girls got red shorts and why guys were only offered the grey ones. Anyway, I was so embarrassed the first few times I was taking off my jeans and whoa - there were my whitey tighties - it was like me and 4 or 5 other guys out of the 60 of us in there that had them - that I told my mom that we had to go get some for me. And within a couple weeks I was used to them.

There was an article today about how people in the Netherlands think that the world will end in 4 years. I have been to the Netherlands. I can see how they think the world might be ending for them. But to be able to say that I've been there before the world ends? That's a pretty awesome feat IMO. Well, at least for a guy that had only previously been to places in North America.

Writing about Europe reminds me that I love this word:

mi·ser –noun
1. a person who lives in wretched circumstances in order to save and hoard money.
2. a stingy, avaricious person.
3. Obsolete. A wretched or unhappy person.

I heard it on my current favorite investing show, "Fast Money" and had to throw it in here. Europe reminds me of being a miser because I was given the "talk" which I knew I would get sometime during the trip. Mainly the talk of "quit being such a cheap ass". Or "quit complaining, this is a once in a lifetime trip". It was just hard for me because I kept doing the currency conversion. While in the Netherlands I paid 4 Euro for a bottled water...which in US dollars comes out to be almost $7. I could buy a 24 pack of bottled water (good water!) here in the states for $7! Sheesh. Are the richest people you know the ones that spend the most? Or the ones that complain the most about spending? I think that's an interesting question to ask of ourselves.

The wife's golden birthday ends on the 26th of this month. Can you guess how old she is going to be? Hella old. We'll be checking out Hilton Head this coming weekend and I promised that I would go shopping with her all weekend (and not complain) and that I would also get my first pedicure (per her request). Wow. It's going to be an interesting weekend for me. And talking about her birthday, my mom just called and told me that she sent her CASH IN THE MAIL for her birthday. *slaps forehead* If all we get in the mail is a card I'm going to just shake my head and sigh...and know she loves us.

Daniel Island is almost a perfect place for me and the dog to live. There are sidewalks and trails that lead everywhere on the island. Everyone loves to ride their bike and go running around the island and the afternoon weather is perfect for it. I am getting in some of the best shape of my life because I take the dog out at least 6 times a day, and on at least 2 of those walks we go for almost 3 miles each time. I run with her until she wants to stop running. And some days she'll be the one that wants to keep running and I want to stop. In a previous life I am pretty sure she was a race horse. I read somewhere that to calculate the amount of calories you burn per mile take your weight and multiply it by .50 for walking and .75 for running. That's pretty solid - not that I need to diet or anything, just being in good shape is great for me.

And without the dog, I'm not sure what I'd do with myself here at home. Having her here with me keeps me from being too lonely. Plus it gives me something to take my mind off of work, along with something to do during my lunch break, because I never use my full amount of time eating. I'm amazed that we've already been out here for 2 months. It's going to be hard going back during the dead of winter, especially if I can't work from home when I get there.

I am currently watching the NCAA world series. This is my thing you know. Turn on the tube, watch for about 30 minutes to an hour of something that I DVR. Pay full attention to what I DVR for about 20 minutes and then go grab the laptop and have the TV on in the background. The University of Georgia and Fresno State are playing and the score is 18 to 10 in the bottom of the 8th inning. Christ. It's like watching one of my softball games. I just expect each batter to get a hit. I guess that's what happens when the guys are using metal bats...I really miss softball. My buddy was telling me how he's probably going to be in 3 different leagues this summer. I just want to be in one right now. Just one night a week on the field and I'd be happy. I have to wait for the new leagues to start up in August.

I'm going to end this post with a quote.

"The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work."
-Thomas Edison

8 and 5/6th days

Is how far I made it.

Weak willed.

But I think that's the longest I've gone for years.

I just couldn't see the point of it anymore. This is not like something that is unhealthy for me. If it was something like smoking or drinking - then yeah, I would definitely try a lot harder.

I gave it a shot, I hated it. Maybe when I get older I can try again - in fact, when I am older I'll probably do it without knowing it. Scary.

On completely unrelated notes (cause there's really not much else to say about giving up the 30 day challenge), the Lakers are down 3-1 in the NBA finals now. Which are actually playing on the TV in front of me.

I woke up this morning at 1:54 AM. And I couldn't sleep until about 4 AM. Now I am exhausted. But I'm going to stay up just to see if the Celtics pull off the NBA championship. Damn you Boston.

You already had the Patriots. Then you got the Red Sox. And now you're going to pull the Celtics on us too? Ridiculous. Seattle's last real championship happened before I was born. Great. I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed for ONE big three championship in my lifetime.

Tomorrow marks expiration week in the market.

It should be interesting times. I'll check in again when it's over.

Day 7

I've made it this far.

And I wouldn't have posted if it hadn't been so challenging.

This morning I really felt like giving up. In fact, by this afternoon I had basically decided with the wife that I was going to bow out of the challenge.

But - after dinner, a little shopping, and a long walk with the dog, there wasn't really time. I mean, there was time. But I felt a little guilty giving up this early. In fact, I felt a lot guilty. And when it comes to this sort of thing, I feel like women can be so fickle.

With men, it's a switch. With the flip of a switch we are ready to go. But whatever.

In an hour I've made it to day 8.

And I want to turn it off. I want my switch to be turned off and I don't want to think about it at all. I am angry with myself about how I haven't been able to shut down. I should have the will power to not only go for 30 days, but for as long as I want. Maybe I should resolve to do that. To completely give up craving the flesh.

I want to go from "loving on" to "loving off" starting tomorrow. And I think I've got a bit of anger on my side now to help out.

But of course there's always going to be this reocurring thought in the back of my head that really this is all so stupid...

The 30 Day Experiment

Well more of a challenge.

After reading through the Style Diaries, I felt like it might be something I could try.

I haven't gone more than 5 days without it.

And that is...going.

Not like the daily going. Well, I guess it is - was daily for me - but more like the kind your body doesn't require.

So 4 days ago on June 4th, 2008 a few guys and I took the plunge. So far I don't think anyone has given in.

I think for myself, I wanted to see what happened. To see if my will power - my mind - was stronger than my physical needs. And I'd like to say that they are. But I'm only 4 days in.

And in those 4 days, I have already had a hard time. It honestly wouldn't be so tough if I was living in Seattle. The weather back home is terrible. 50 degrees and cloudy and raining. No bikinis. No beaches. No 95 degree and blue sky weather.

So, I'll be doing updates throughout the 30 days. I'm going to try my best to make it. I've been testing myself already - putting myself in compromising positions to see how I hold up.

And after 4 days, I'd like to share what I've learned and what's happened to me:

-Some of the things I do are out of pure habit. I do it because it's normally what I do in the morning or at night. So breaking this habit should be just like any other habit. Once I pass the first hurdle of stopping myself from my habit then it should be smooth sailing from there. I just never thought I was a habitual...goer.

-I have loved on the wife a lot more during this time. And by "loved on" I mean a lot more affectionate. Way more kissing, hugging.

-My balls sag a lot lower than I thought they would. Or maybe that's all in my head that things are starting to get "heavy" or "weigh down on me".

-I've noticed a lot more skin on TV than before. Especially in movie trailers. Like I wonder how many people will go to see Angelina Jolie's latest movie because it shows the upper half of her exposed back. A week ago I wouldn't have really cared about seeing something on TV like that. But tonight I really noticed it.

-I feel like the kleenex boxes in the house are taunting me.

-I suddenly had a huge craving for pop. I wanted sprite. I wanted root beer. I went out and bought all three versions of the democracy but have only drank two of them so far. But then I realized it wasn't just a craving for carbonated sugar water. It was a craving for all things sweet. I bought chewy chips ahoy. I bought a cinnamon roll. I bought 2 kinds of ice cream and even got a scoop of ice cream at the local shop. Is this me replacing one habit with another? Maybe it's just me over thinking it. I hope this craving for sugar stops within the next couple days though. I don't want my body to take too much more of it.

And other than that, really there hasn't been that big of a difference in my life. Yet.

But I'm watching the Celtics beat the Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA finals partly due to poor officiating. And instead of continuing to think about the 26 days ahead of me, I'm going to pay full attention to that. Expect more updates - even if I do fail.